Army Chief General Bikram Singh holds talks with China's military top brass

BEIJING: Army Chief General Bikram Singh today held talks with China's military top brass discussing a host of issues including maintenance of peace at the boundary, implementation of the new border defence mechanism and maritime cooperation.

Singh, who is the first Indian Army Chief to visit China in nine years, held a number of meetings, starting with Chief of General Staff of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Fang Fenghui. Singh held wide-ranging talks with Fang, discussing increasing military to military contacts, implementation of last year's Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) and stepping up high level exchanges between the two militaries, Indian officials said.

Singh exchanged views with Feng on a wide range of issues including the maintenance of peace on the border, maritime cooperation, interactions between the armed forces and issues relating to global security, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

This year is the "Year of Friendly Exchanges" between China and India. The two militaries will hold a series of activities, including the fourth joint anti-terrorism exercise due to be held in India.

During their meeting Feng and Singh reaffirmed peace and tranquilly along the border. BDCA was signed last year to address tense standoffs arising out of aggressive patrolling by the PLA along the over 4000 km long Line of Actual Control (LAC). The two sides have held 17 rounds of talks by Special Representatives so far to resolve the border dispute.

"Your visit is the first senior military delegation since the formation of India's new government. It reflects the great importance India attaches to bilateral relations," Fang said welcoming Singh, who is also the Chairman of the tri-services Chiefs of Staff Committee. "India attaches the highest priority to the relations with China and committed to further developing friendly and cooperative relations with your country," Singh was quoted as saying.

The visit of Singh is part of increasing contacts between the two militaries which remained frozen for a long after the 1962 border clash.